The Card with Two Masters
by ImagineInfinity
Summary: The former Cardcaptor is gaining more power from tapping the infinite magic of the stars. Soon, she discovers that Clow's past has something to do with her present.
1. The New Power

"Sakura! What on earth are you up to?"

As usual, Sakura Kinomoto still wakes up too late in the morning for her classes. Keroberos already took his real form to wake her up with his growling, booming voice. But despite his agitation, his mistress still hadn't budge an inch from her pillow. Sakura even smiled sleepily, clutching the blankets fondly, and whispered, "It was my first, first kiss with Shaoran…"

Keroberos slapped his own face. _So she was dreaming about it for the hundredth time around!_ The thought made Kero irritated, for he couldn't help expressing his childish annoyance for Shaoran Lee, Sakura's long-time sweetheart since the sixth grade. _They have been together for five years! That kid…_

Keroberos glanced at the window, to the early morning skies, and smiled to himself. "But those five years has made Sakura almost as strong as Clow himself…"

True, and he prided in that fact. Ever since Sakura converted the sealed card, her powers has risen near Clow's degree, and quickly, she learned the other magical secrets of the stars. When she stepped into highschool, Sakura started to experiment for a new type of magical arts, tapping her powers to a new light.

_Not only that,_ Kero mused, _Sakura has grown so pretty and lady-like in that short five years!_ Her copper-brown hair has grown long, silky and slightly wavy down to her waist. And she has grown taller, maybe just two inches short of Touya, her older brother. "No wonder Yukito still thinks Sakura's cute."

After all the futility of his screaming attempts to wake Sakura up, Kero just sighed and returned to his false form. He flitted to the desk where the book of cards lay and summoned it to open. "Hey, guys, will you wake her up? I want to sleep again." He yawned and retreated to his cabinet-room, quickly dozing off.

The cards giggled a little and after a few seconds, the Rain card floated above Sakura and started to drizzle her on the face, laughing childishly as she did so. Hope also emerged, and sat beside her on the bed, tapping her cheek. "You are so stubborn, Mistress."

Sakura finally woke up, surprised by the small rain and the very energizing touch of Hope. "HOOEEE!" She quickly rose from the bed and turned to the clock, "Darn! Why am I late again!"

Rain and Hope giggled again, together with the slight movement of the other cards on the desk. "Quick, Mistress. Show us your new magic." Hope said, winking her left eye.

"New magic? Did I make—" She reckoned what it was. "Ah! Yes, yes! The remedy for late mornings. Thanks for reminding me!"

"I think you have to make a Reminder Card as well."

This time, it was not one of the cards' voice, but of his onii-chan, who was already standing lazily by the door, crossing his arms. He smiled mockingly, and looked casually at Rain and Hope, who just smiled back. "Well, well, a magical monster is still a monster, who finally has woken up."

"Onii-chan!" Sakura gritted her teeth at him. "Don't stand there looking at me like that!"

"Then, kaijou, hurry up because that twerp is already waiting for you by the gate."

_Shaoran is picking me up!_ Sakura flushed at the thought of him waiting by the front of their house. Touya closed the door and sang a tune that never failed to irritate Sakura again. "_Kaijou_ and the twerp, _Kaijou_ and the twerp, _dadadadada_…"

"Don't call him twerp, Onii-chan!" She shouted back.

Sakura breathed in and looked at Hope and Rain. They were waiting for her new magic to show them. Rain said, "Would it be better if all of us watch you, Mistress?"

"Oh, but I might not do it right!" Sakura blushingly replied.

"Just try it in front of us." Hope told her, and she raised her hand to bid the remaining cards to watch their mistress. All the cards floated and aligned in the air, and the Star seal flashed. In a moment, all the 53 cards were in their true forms, smiling back to their mistress in delight and excitement. Some sat in the bed and on the floor. Others like Light, Dark and Wind floated to see her display her magic. "Please, Sakura, this is a new milestone for every one of us." Light said.

Sakura smiled sincerely at them, her inspiration now more stronger to reinstate her magic. She has been crafting this new magic to tap the powers of the star and fuse it with the sun and moon, thereby creating stronger, more radiant magic.

_This is for my cards._

But never did she know what consequences this would mean in the future… a new fate, perhaps a change of destiny, would arise in her step of creating a stronger type of magic.

She finally got the momentum to concentrate all her powers. Kero, who was woken up again by the sudden powerful surge of aura surrounding Sakura now, got up from his cabinet-room and shouted, looking shocked from the scene– "Sakura! What the devil are you doing!"

Sakura only closed her eyes and concentrated still, not hearing any worldly noise. Only the divine hum of the soft, flickering constellations filled her mind, lifting her to a galactic void.

_Finally, I am able to feel them like I am holding their powers in my own hands…_

For five years, five long years for her! Sakura rejoiced at the thought of becoming one with the stars. Becoming them… tapping their magic to a oneness, together with the brightness of the sun and the radiance of the moon.

Sakura was enclosed in a bright bluish orb, which made all her cards exult in silent awe. Keroberos felt that very strong energy, almost surpassing Clow, and then he shouted both in stark fear and amazement— "Sakura! The magic you are gaining is too strong to hold! Do not overdo it!"

"Sshh, Kero-san." Dark assured him calmly, laying all her trust and support for her mistress. "We can feel that she could hold magic more than that."

"But that is too strong and— raw! A magic coming directly from billions and billions of stars, and this is beyond the limit for her type of magic!" Kero said, trying to convince them to make them stop Sakura.

"But that is exactly what the mistress' new magical arts is for." Hope beamed. "To define new limits, which means—"

"Infinite power." The cards all whispered divinely.

"HOOEE! That is too much!" Kero screamed, only to know that the next scream that he could do is nothing but a mime of "NO!" Silence did the job of shutting Kero up, so the guardian retreated to watch on with anxiety. _Sakura…_

"We believe her, Keroberos." Light said tranquilly. "Sakura is strong and pure of heart. She deserves this power."

And the next scene was a sight to behold—

Sakura held her key and incanted the words to transform it into her staff:

"O key that hides the infinite power of the stars,

Show your true nature to me—

O Sun, warm and bright,

And Moon, filled with radiant mystery,

come by with your light—

And magic be reborn!

I, Sakura, command you,

Under the dictates and rules of Nature—

Release!"

In a blinding flash of golden light, Sakura floated above the ground and her key glowed, transforming into a new star wand surrounded by golden sunrays and a silver moon above it. Its wings has been lined with silvery-pink accents and two golden ribbon-like sheaths tied just below the wings. Then all the cards surrounding her felt a new power charging them, and they too, was being reborn.

"O Cards,

Made by Clow,

Passed into me under the old magic,

Accept your new power and be reborn once again—

I, Sakura, your mistress, command you!"

A whirlwind of strong, illuminating magic burst out from Sakura's new star wand, and the golden ribbon sheaths flew by and entwined all of the cards majestically, giving them a new power, and recreating them into their new forms. Even more beautiful than their first forms, they changed into more lady-like and feminine forms. Rain was not child-looking anymore; and so was Small. Jump and Dash looked even cuter but fiercer and bigger, and Flower, Sleep and Wood all changed into more majestic dresses that made them jump in delight. So was Shadow, who was now given a beautiful face, and Time, who became a lady now with long, brown hair and wearing priestess-like robes. All the cards were happy, and Dark and Light, who were given new forms as well, said together, "O Mistress, thank you for giving us new power."

"That is because I love you all," Sakura smiled benevolently at them.

Kero-chan, who stood there looking dazed and wonderfully awed, said, "Sakura, how about me? Won't you change me too?"

"Yes, I would have to do that, but only together with Yue-san." She said. "Don't worry, I'll invite Yukito later to give you your new forms and powers."

"Yosh!" Kero jumped to his feet.

Looking at the happy cards and the new star staff, Sakura smiled happily, telling herself that this new power is a new responsibility… and her cards would have to protect the world from evil from this day on.

_Infinite power of the stars…_

"And the remedy for late mornings?" Hope said, giggling under her throat.

"Oh yes!" Sakura raised her staff. "Here it is!"

Later, Sakura got down in her highschool uniform, and Touya wondered what took her so long. When he glanced at the clock, he was surprised when it still read 6:42, when all this time he had been counting what seemed to be half an hour when he went to Sakura's room. _Curious, did she use magic?_ And surprised by the fact that he had felt a very strong aura or perhaps a blind positive energy force in their house, he wondered. _It cannot be… I cannot feel magic anymore—_

"But why do I feel Sakura's aura…" He whispered to himself.

"Onii-chan." Sakura answered him suddenly from behind him. "Even though you still call me kaijou, you know how much I love you right?"

Touya faced her, and for a moment of silence, he understood. _She returned my powers._ "Sakura." He smiled, and patted her sister's head, as he used to do when she was younger. _Thank you,_ he said silently, just enough for Sakura to hear inside her mind. Sakura smiled at his Onii-chan lovingly. _Thank you for all those years that you sacrificed for Yue-san, Onii-chan—_ She answered him in his mind and even said, "Invite him tonight, Onii-chan. He should be transformed too."

"Leave it to me." Touya said with a brotherly smile of assurance and headed back to the kitchen, "Then Kaijou, better hurry up for school. The twerp is there at the door."

That day, Tomoeda City has seen a spectacular early summer, breaking the greenness of spring. And everywhere people go, petals of cherry blossoms flitted about, bringing in a fresh, flowery scent in the streets. Everybody seemed happy about it, and people talked cheerfully in the streets. Unknown to them was that the cards were rejoicing, spreading their positive magic as a tribute to their Mistress' new coming of age as a magician. Flower has set the summer early, and it was the invisible Hope that gave a bright feeling in Tomoeda.

Underneath the century-old cherry-tree, a familiar handsome face looked up to the shower of the pink blossoms, catching a petal in his hand.

"Sakura." He whispered in the wind, and his lips eventually curved into a silent, mysterious smile.


	2. Change and Foretelling

Shaoran Lee, now more handsome and tall for his age, was still clutching Sakura's hand as they entered the school. Now in their fifth year of highschool, the couple has been the talk of the campus ever since the day Shaoran proposed at Sakura, a year ago, right in the stage when they performed for a play (again) as Beauty and the Beast. It was a big surprise for Sakura when the proposal of marriage turned out real, and all along, Shaoran had been planning it with Yamazaki and the others. The ring finger of her left hand was proof, the emerald gleaming in it, the very color of her eyes.

"I am glad for that new development, Sakura. Please show me your new staff after class, with Tomoyo, okay?" Shaoran said, smiling at her.

Blushing, Sakura looked down to her feet. "I'm excited to show you, you know." She looked at him. "The staff looks cooler, and the cards gained new forms."

"I'm sure Tomoyo would be glad to see them. I bet she would even craft you new poses and costumes." He laughed lightly.

"Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura chuckled. "…has never changed."

_Maybe we have grown a bit, but some things will never change. _Sakura thought as she looked lovingly at Shaoran. How she remembered the day she jumped and confessed to him, how everything turned out to be happy for both of them. Shaoran eventually stayed in Japan, just to be with her. Ever since, they became inseparable.

_And we would always be, _she thought.

They parted when they reached Sakura's class, for they had separate classes. Shaoran was taking specialization in computer engineering, and Sakura and Tomoyo, on the other hand, took multimedia arts. At lunch, under the trees where Sakura and Tomoyo used to eat together, she told her everything about the new magic she had developed. As expected, Tomoyo was exuberant and whizzing gleefully about it.

"…pose that will match a very pretty girl like Sakura-chan! And new costumes that will accentuate her stronger powers!" Tomoyo chanted dreamily as she gazed into the skies as petals of cherry blossoms flew by, like in a dream. "It is such a wonderful event in my life to get back on my feet to make costumes for you, Sakura-chan."

"Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura giggled. "Then come by at my house tonight and bring your camera, okay?"

Tomoyo looked at her with a rush of excitement. "Sakura-chan! Will you do magic tonight?"

"Sort of…" She blinked. "This is our first film for my new magic."

Tomoyo jumped high in delight. "I can't wait!" She grasped Sakura's hands. "Let me treat you today, Sakura-chan! Let us celebrate! Maybe we could, after class, with Shaoran!"

"Where to?" She laughed.

"In the most expensive restaurant of Tomoeda!"

"HOOEE! That is too much, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura asked her not too, but Tomoyo still insisted on that place.

"Well— I'M GOING TOO!"

Sakura and Tomoyo were taken aback by Kero's sudden appearance just in the midst of their faces. "Tomoyo, you will witness the unveiling of the brand-new, cooler, stronger, more handsome KEROBEROS, the amazing beast of the Sakura seal!" Kero thumped his chest and laughed proudly. "HOHOHO!"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura caught his tail. "You didn't ask my permission again!"

"Since when did I do, Sakura?" He laughed again and when he saw the food that the bestfriends were sharing, he immediately flew to take a piece of sushi, saying, "ITADEKIMAS!"

Tomoyo just laughed at Kero's insatiable appetite, and Sakura even wondered what sort of appetite would Kero have after receiving his new powers from her.

Not too far away, in a branch of a dead maple tree amidst the other trees, sat a familiar presence Sakura has known very well in the past.

He gazed at the Mistress of the cards, whom he knew had crafted a new form of magical arts, and smiled. The bright eyes of hers has never changed, he thought. _The same beautiful face, the same angelic smile._ He remembered the time he kissed her hand, and he had done it at his most sincerest will. Now, he was still asking himself, what if I return? And he has indeed returned, and like Sakura, he has gotten stronger, and he had been creating new magical arts too, back in England.

But there are things that Sakura had not uncovered yet, he thought. And those things… are the same reasons why he has returned.

_The power of the stars has another kind of power you must learn to tap, Sakura._

This power is the most ancient power that the earliest magicians of history had tapped, and it is the most famous type of magical arts. It is a common art, but coupling it Sakura's magic, the power can be used to alter the future, the present and even the past.

_Who would have thought that astrology is what Sakura only needs to become the most powerful magician in the world?_

Just as Sakura was packing her lunchbox inside her bag, with Kero-chan lying full and contented in the grass and Tomoyo happily chanting ideas for new costumes, Sakura felt _his_ presence and quickly glanced to a nearby tree— a dead maple— in its dried and cracked branch. There was no one in there, and yet she could feel it strongly, that magic, that aura… that presence…

_Clow…_

No, it couldn't be Clow, she told herself. "Or was it—"

"Let's go, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said, rising and taking with her the already sleeping Kero-chan.

"_Hai,_" She said and walked after Tomoyo. Glancing back at the same tree before entering the school building, she swear she saw that it was now _alive— _teeming with purplish-blue flowers, which bloomed beautifully as it was blown by the wind before her very eyes.

Kero-chan looked furiously at Yukito-san, who was coolly eating half of the chocolate cake that Tomoyo brought in the house. "Yue is only using his false form to eat as much as I do! Hmph!" He grumbled behind the stairway as he watched Sakura, Tomoyo, Shaoran and Yukito eat and chat happily together. "I would find a way to have that cake…"

"Hey, stuffed little bear."

Kero-chan almost froze on where he was standing. That was the voice… of Sakura's…

"_Heh—heh—heh—heh_…?" Keroberos turned nervously and quite slowly to face that voice. "Ah—? How— do you–do? _O–ni-—i—cha—n_—?" He swallowed hard, and tried to curve his mouth to smile, but he could only contort his face out of sheer awkwardness. He was met with an indifferent look on Touya's face. Or was that the same look he gives when he stares with suspicion at him?

This was the first time they actually talked one on one.

"Since when did I have a stuffed brother?" Touya replied.

This time, Keroberos thought he was really as stiff as stone. "Eh–eh–er, you know—"

"Yeah, I know." He picked up Kero-chan by the tail, and said, "I know you're some sort of a magical creature the day I first saw you in Sakura's room."

"Hoe! Really!" As quick as that, Kero showed his true character to him, "Then, do you know who I am, brother of the former cardcaptor and the mistress of the cards?" He laughed his usual snobbish, proud laugh even as Touya held his tail.

"Ah, of course," Touya smiled knowingly, enough to dry Kero's sarcasm, "You are Keroberos, beast of the seal, a kaijou guardian of my sister."

Kero simmered instantly at the word. "WHO DO YOU CALL KAIJOU?!"

"Stuffed kaijou Kero."

"HA! You wanna fight, you wanna fight? Come on, fight, fight!" He punched his little hands in the air towards Touya's face. They stared menacingly at each other, electricity almost coming off their eyes.

"Well, I thought you want to come by for a little snack." Touya said to fuel Kero's jealousy. "That chocolate cake won't last as long as Yuki is there…"

"That snow rabbit…" Kero muttered grudgingly. "I'll tear Yue to pieces for this…"

"Have a bit of fun before you two transform, shall we?" Touya headed to the living room, still holding Kero-chan's tail.

"Hey! Let me go, you—big—brat— your father shouldn't see me!"

"He's in Korea for his research paper, so you don't have to worry, little kaijou."

"Don't call me kaijou!"

As soon as they were in the living room, Sakura screamed— "Onii-chan!" They all looked at Touya, with the yellow stuffed-like Kero-chan, as he held him by the tail. Kero-chan just crossed his arms and sighed irritatingly. Shaoran and Tomoyo looked at each other, surprised, and Yukito said, "Touya, are you getting along with Keroberos?"

"On the contrary, his stubbornness is just like his mistress." He said, letting go of the annoyed guardian. Kero instantly went to plunge in the remaining cake, locking it in his eyes like a prized target. "You've been eating all this time without me!"

"But that remaining slice is for you, Kero." Tomoyo said sweetly, and Kero was teary-eyed for the assurance that he was not left behind with nothing.

"That was heartfelt, Tomoyo…" He beamed a big smile at the cake, got a fork and sat down to eat, "_Itadekimas_!"

"Seems that you'd be more greedy after the transformation tonight, Kero." Shaoran said, irritating him once more.

"Ha, you brat, shut up and let me finish my treat!"

Sakura just smiled to see that things really don't change that much unless you do take a step to change it. She looked at Yukito and his Onii-chan as they talked together. Their friendship has never changed, even made stronger by the years. By now, Yukito, or Yue-san rather, would have known that Touya has regained his powers through Sakura's new magic. _I could feel that he's happy, _she thought. She could even feel that Yue-san really wanted to talk to her already. Sakura glanced at Tomoyo, and thought, of course, she is still the same and would always be, my very best friend. When she looked at Shaoran, the same feelings of love and affection flowed in her, and thinking that they would never change their love towards each other, suddenly— the cards from her pocket emerged.

"What the—"

They were all spellbound at the strange phenomenon. Sakura's seal flashed before them, and the cards aligned right before Sakura, shuffling on their own.

Kero turned into his real form and said, "Sakura, what is this!"

"I don't know, Kero-chan! But it's like— that—"

"—they want to tell you something, Sakura."

Yue was already there in their midst, looking at the cards as they continued to shuffle through their own magic. He waived his hand and cleared the center table where the plates and the glasses were, making them disappear in the flick of his fingers. Then the cards piled together in a deck and lay in the middle of the table.

"A fortune!" Keroberos exclaimed. "But they rather acted on their own… do you think so, Yue?"

"It must be one of the powers that you unknowingly gave them, Sakura."

Sakura turned to Yue. "But I only gave them stronger magic, and more capabilities that are aligned with their specialties!"

"That is why it is some unknown power that you have as the one who holds the power of the stars." Yue said and took her hand, "Now, place your hand on the top of the deck, and summon them on their own." Yue then faced Shaoran and Tomoyo, who were sitting from across them. "Move back and stand outside the circle of the seal. Only the mistress and the guardians should be in it to perform this incantation." He turned to Touya. "Touya, please make sure that all the curtains are closed. Turn off the lights as well."

"Is this incantation going to hurt Sakura?" Touya asked worryingly.

"No, the cards would only show her something."

Touya then left to check all the windows and the doors, locking them. He turned off the lights one by one. Shaoran and Tomoyo were anxious at what will happen. They stood outside the circle, as they watch the guardians align themselves with their symbols: Keroberos atop the sun, and Yue on the moon. Sakura sat where the star was, right on the middle. The table glowed together with the cards, which were casting off a bright bluish-white aura.

"How come you know this, Yue?" Kero said, as he pushed the sofas out of the glowing seal on the floor.

"Clow told me about this incantation, wherein the cards are left to decide on themselves to act together as one in foretelling the future." He looked at Sakura. "It looks like Sakura has this definite power, for Clow himself could not perform this incantation. Clow could foretell, but not as definitely."

"I gave the cards this kind of power?" Sakura said, quite surprised at Yue's words.

"Yes, for you have the greater power tapped from the stars."

"That explains it," Shaoran butted in. "The stars are used to tell the future, Sakura. It is inevitable that you will also tap this ability, though you didn't intend to do so."

"That's… that's nuisance." Sakura said emotionlessly. "I didn't wish to see the future…"

"Just look at the bright side, Sakura." Tomoyo assured her. "Maybe this ability is destined for you as well, because you might have to use it someday."

"Just be strong," Touya said, coming back at the scene, "Sakura."

"Tomoyo-chan…Onii-chan…" Sakura smiled at them. "Yes, maybe seeing the future would help me out someday…"

At once, the deck of cards glowed brighter, and when Sakura placed her hand atop it, the guardians floated above their symbols and unknowingly closed their eyes. Then, three cards emerged from the deck, aligning before her. Another card emerged and separated from the rest, and before Sakura, the Time card materialized and sat from across her in the table. Her face was stern and she held an hourglass in one of her palms.

"I am your fortune-teller for this incantation, Mistress." Time said.

"Time…" Sakura said, awed at the power, or her own power rather, to see what lies ahead of the present. "Why do you want to tell the future for me all of a sudden?"

"Mistress, all your thoughts and feelings are connected to us now. Whenever you want to know something about the future, the cards will decide whether to tell you or not, about what we see." Time pointed to her chest, right at her heart. "You want to know something that lies in the bottom of your heart. Please, think about it in your mind. I could hear you even if you wouldn't speak about it."

Sakura's heart raced furiously, for then she figured it out why the cards suddenly decided to tell her the future. It was the thought… if Shaoran and her would stay the same…

_The cards will tell me then…_

"You are ready, Mistress." Time said. "Turn the first card in your left side."

Sakura touched that card, and it turned at her whim. DARK. The first card was Dark. She felt her heart leapt out of shock. _Why has this something to do with Shaoran and me?_

She looked at Shaoran and locked her eyes on his. _Shaoran… _He smiled and nodded for her to go on. "_Daijobu desu_, Sakura…"

She returned a small smile at him and assured herself that maybe the cards meant another thing. _No, that wouldn't happen. Shaoran and I won't change._

"Mistress," Time said, "Turn the second card."

She felt too anxious now to turn this second card, and she trembled a little when she touched it. It revealed itself.

CHANGE.

The second card was Change.

Sakura heaved an upset sigh. She stared at the card, and she heard it say softly, in her mind, "It would change."

_No. Tell me this isn't it…_

Time felt that her mistress was afraid of knowing this. But she still urged her. "Accept the fact that this is what we see, Mistress." She said in a rueful tone. "Now is the time to turn the third card."

Sakura couldn't help thinking how Dark and Change could mark her relationship with Shaoran in the future. She unknowingly started to cry, little tears streaming down her cheeks now.

"Sakura! What is wrong!" Touya shouted, and before he could rush in inside the circle of the seal, the wings of Yue prevented him. That was the duty of the guardians to do in this incantation, to block off any intrusion in the fortune-telling. "Sakura…"

"Sakura-chan…" Tomoyo clutched her dress anxiously. "Please stay strong, Sakura-chan…"

"Sakura," Shaoran spoke worryingly, "There is no use in crying. You know that…"

Sakura looked at him. She remembered the day Shaoran told him that, and all those times he made her stop crying. But what if he too would know what would happen in the future? Maybe he wouldn't let her stop crying, or maybe he would cry too as well.

"Mistress, turn the card." Time said.

Finally, Sakura touched it, and it turned. It made her cringe. This was the card, which she made herself…

LOVE.

And now the cards were telling her a simple truth. Dark. Change. Heart. Together, they make a string of a heartbreaking phrase. _A dark change of heart._

Sakura cried even more, covering her face with her own eyes. "No… no… please—"

Time felt her sadness, as all the cards did. Even them couldn't bring themselves to admit that this was what they see. The cards could even see how it would go, but they didn't want to tell her everything. It would be very hard for their mistress to accept. Light emerged from the deck, coming by to her side to console her. "Mistress, we are sorry to tell this to you. But you asked for it, and we wanted you to know."

"I can't accept that happening to me, Light-san…" She wept, as more tears flowed from her eyes.

"But mistress, if I tell you that he would be happier in the future even without you, would you be happy too, for him?"

Sakura gazed at the tranquil face of Light-san, and felt deeply what she was trying to tell her. It was the same thought of loving someone purely, as Tomoyo told her years ago. It is what makes the one you love happier that makes you happy…

Sakura was hurt, but inside her heart, she had planted this feeling early enough for her to accept the truth. She smiled at Light-san.

"Felt better?" She said in a motherly tone.

"Yes," She nodded, "It still hurts. Or maybe it will always hurt. But I'm contented at the fact that he will happy without me in the future…"

"That's the spirit." Light smiled, and waved her hand to the cards, which reshuffled

"Mistress, we just do not see the bad side of the future. We will show you the bright side too."

Sakura saw three cards before her again, unturned. Time spoke with a tinge of positive emotion in her voice, "Now turn the cards altogether, mistress."

With a rush of optimism, Sakura waved her hand over the three cards, and at once they all turned…

FIRE. MIRROR. RETURN.

_A strange combination of cards…_ Sakura thought.

The cards materialized before her, and Fire spoke, "Look at this, Mistress," she extended her hand in front of Sakura, and a ball of fire glowed within her palm. "What is this?"

Sakura clearly knew what Fire was showing her. "Sun. It is a sun, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." It was Mirror who replied this time. Mirror-san glanced to Touya shortly before looking back at her mistress, smiling. "Now, mistress, interpret me."

Sakura looked at Mirror, and even though she didn't change into another Sakura, Sakura said, "Just like me? Or something, someone, the same as me?"

"Correct." Mirror smiled, and then Return said, "Now, Mistress, I am the easiest to decode."

Sakura blinked for a second, and she formed the string of words in her mind…

_Sun… the same as me… return…_

"Correct." Time said, and she smiled. "Now we have told you what we wish you to know, and you have to figure it out yourself, Mistress. Before we end this, Flower has something to give you."

"Flower-san?" Sakura was surprised when Flower emerged and showered her with flowers, before the incantation finally ended with a whirlwind of golden light. Yue and Keroberos were finally released and the seal was gone, and what was left were the deck of cards piled neatly atop the table.

Purplish-blue flowers were on Sakura's arms, and it was giving off a very fragrant scent, like that of lavender and freesia infused together, with notes of green apple. _These flowers…_

"SAKURA!"

Everyone rushed in to Sakura immediately, and Shaoran embraced her even before Touya could. Touya gritted his teeth, and Yue just smiled at the scene. Keroberos went to his side and whispered in his ear very softly, "Come to think of that, Yue. I thought that brat and Sakura would stay together for forever."

"I thought so. And I'm wondering, Keroberos. Has Sakura figured who the new one would be?"

"I think not." Keroberos looked at the deck of cards. "You know how naïve Sakura could be at times like this, even though it's very obvious, isn't it?"

"True. I could feel that he is here in Tomoeda." Yue gazed at Sakura, who was now breaking the tension of the stares of Touya and Shaoran at each other. "Time tells me it would be soon, Keroberos."

"I wonder if Clow knows."

"Maybe, Keroberos."

The guardians were surprised when Sakura summoned her key now, and the seal flashed again. The new star staff, revealed by her new magic, was revealed, and Tomoyo shouted in glee. "It's amazing, Sakura-chan!"

"It's beautiful, right, Yue?" Keroberos told the moon guardian, who was smiling now in muted awe.

"Yes, it is." He replied. "Finally, an equal of Clow himself."

The golden ribbons of the staff flew towards them, turning into magical whirlwind of power surrounding them. Sakura chanted:

"O Guardians of the Seal,

Keroberos, holding the brightness of the Sun—

Yue, holding the mystery and shadows of the Moon—

Accept your new powers,

Under the realm of the light of the stars—

Reborn before me!

Keroberos—

Yue—

I, Sakura, command you!"

Before them, a strong surge of magical aura enveloped the two guardians. Silvery-pink sheaths came from Sakura's wand, giving off her power to bestow to them. Keroberos' bright yellowish aura glowed brighter as it received Sakura's power, and so as Yue's soft bluish-white aura. Finally, in a burst of feathers everywhere, Keroberos emerged, his features looking even more grander. The feathers of his wings had a silvery-yellow accent, and every paw of his bore a golden bracelet with a red jewel in it. He posed proudly, and then noticed that his tail was in flames. "HOEEE! SAKURA!" He growled. "My tail is burning!"

"Stupid," Yue's voice said as he was still covered in his own wings, "That is part of your transformation." Then he emerged, and everyone, including Touya, was slack-jawed.

Yue had become more handsome, though his hair hasn't changed; he had a thin silvery band with a blue jewel in his forehead, and his robes were more striking and majestic. But what Sakura changed about him was that…

"Well, look at Keroberos." Yue said in a rather happily sarcastic tone that wasn't _him_ before. "I think he looks cuter in his false form!" Then he laughed aloud that made everybody stare shockingly at him. Even Kero gaped at him. Yue noticed all their shocked stares. "Hey, what's the matter? Do I look too handsome? Oh, no—you don't have to say so." He laughed again, changing into his false form. Yukito was even more handsome than before too. Tomoyo shouted, "Kawayii, Sakura-chan! Yukito-san looks exactly like a prince!"

Kero-chan said, "Sakura, you changed Yue's personality?"

Sakura smiled a bit and said, "Not really. Just merely added a touch of humor into him. Now, Kero, change back into your false form."

"Sakura…" Kero eyed her threateningly. "If I look like a laughingstock, I will resign my post!"

Yukito replied at him, "Of course not! Sakura-chan has made you cuter, right, Sakura-chan?"

"Yep!"

And so when Kero-chan transformed, everybody were silent at first, noticing that there wasn't any change at all, only that he had a thin silvery band with red jewel on top of his round stuffed-like head, and his small wings accented with silvery-yellow. But it was Touya who first saw the other change.

"Great job, Sakura." Then he turned to Kero, "So, little kaijou, what are you going wear?"

"Wear what, you big brat?" He screamed at him.

"To cover _that_." Then he pointed at it. And when everybody saw that Kero had indeed grown two small bumps in his behind, a burst of loud laughter filled the whole house, with Kero spurting fire everywhere in the shame of wearing nothing to cover his new butt.

That night, after Shaoran kissed her goodnight and bid Tomoyo and Yukito goodbye, she retreated to her bed, carrying with her thoughts about her inevitable breakup with Shaoran, and the purplish-blue flowers in her arms. _Sun. Just like me. Return._

The scent of the flowers lulled her to sleep, and Light and Dark, who were watching her sleep, exchanged a few words with each other.

"Clow always thought that Sakura is cute, isn't it?" Dark said, with a knowing smile in her face.

"Maybe that was the other reason why he needed to be reborn." Light touched her mistress' face and said, "You'll see him soon enough."


	3. Unexpectations

Sakura woke up earlier than she had expected, at only 5:17 in the morning. The pretty flowers that she held in her arms last night were now placed in a vase that was in the desk together with the book of cards. Create made that vase, Sakura thought. _Maybe Light-san told her too._ Oddly enough, Sakura could also know which one of the cards took the effort to summon the other, and which made magic even without her consent. "Thank you, Light-san, Create-san." She rose from the bed and noticed that the fragrant scent still lingered everywhere, even in her hair. Opening the window, cool morning breeze swept in her room, early birds already singing their summer song.

She could feel that it would be a very fine day.

Before Sakura left, she placed a note atop the table for Kero-chan, assuring him that Tomoyo would supply him with cute shorts to hide his cute butt. She sneaked to see him sleeping face down, and she couldn't help but still chuckle at the sight of seeing Kero's little butt.

On the way to school, as she skated, she noticed that people kept looking at her, as though she had something wrong in her face. _Did I put too much baby powder?_ If it was hair, she was sure enough that there wasn't anything really stupid about the way she tied her long mane into two low innocent-looking pigtails. An old woman bade her in her own garden. "Will you come here for a moment, young miss?"

Surprised but barely able not to reject the woman's offer, Sakura came by the hedge of the garden. "_Ohayou,_ is there anything I could do for you?" She said respectfully and amiably.

"Ah, no, young miss." The old woman said. "I suddenly remembered my great grandson in you so please," She gave Sakura a fresh bouquet of pink and white roses, "—take this, and please always pass by every morning to greet me." She laughed lightly.

Sakura could not place her delight in receiving such wonderful token. "Oh," She looked at the old lady with all appreciation and bowed. "Thank you so much for these flowers, my lady! My name is Kinomoto Sakura, and we live just there in the fifth street from here." She pointed to the direction of their street.

"Hanamiyo Narami." The old woman bowed. "Take care, Sakura-san. You are a very beautiful young lady, and I could see that you are very kind and friendly."

"Is your grandson as old as me now?" Sakura asked with interest.

"Yes," The old woman smiled, "And I don't know what makes me think you two are very alike. There's something unusual the first time I saw you, Sakura-san." She drew her gaze to some of her flowering plants and shrubs. "I just moved in here a week ago, for we came from Kyoto. My great grandson would be staying with us."

"Oh, so he is not here yet?"

"Yes. Maybe he would be here tomorrow. It would be great if you make friends with him. Rio is a really nice person."

_Rio…_

Sakura felt something strange in the way the old woman said those words, but in a light, positive way. _And what could be that unusual thing that made Narami-san think I'm like her great grandson?_

That morning, Sakura had her first round of luck. As she skated now with the flowers in her arms, her face reddened when she saw Yukito standing beneath the cherry tree in his university jacket and black jeans. "Good morning, Sakura-chan." He smiled handsomely.

"Good morning, Yukito-san." She smiled. _I see, there isn't something wrong with my face,_ she thought. _Yukito said nothing about it. _"Why are you in your university jacket? I thought Onii-chan and you are already working in the accounting firm downtown?"

"Oh, this? I'm headed to your school, Sakura-chan. I'm sent by our boss to teach basic accounting to seniors taking up specialization in finance." He glanced appreciatively at the roses. "Lee-kun's early morning greeting, Sakura-chan?"

"Ah, nope," She smiled. "It was from Narami-san, an old neighbor I just made friends with awhile ago." And then she noticed that Yukito was looking at her a bit odder than usual. "Huh, Yukito-san? Is there something wrong?"

"Say, Sakura-chan, did you do something to your face?" He asked interestedly.

"HOOEE!? Is there something wrong?" She fumbled for the mirror in her bag and self-consciously checked her face for something unusual, but there wasn't any. "_Demo_—_demo_— there isn't something— I look normal, but why do you—"

"Of course you would see yourself as normal. But other people wouldn't."

This time, it wasn't Yukito who was speaking, but the more handsome Yue. "Yue-san!" Sakura stepped back. "Why always transform when I am not aware of it!"

He just laughed lightly. "Always so surprised. Now you would see the consequences that you made for Yukito too."

"Yue-san? What do you mean?"

"Well, as you see, Mistress, Yukito has become more handsome too, so there would always be a wild commotion every time he appears in the crowd." He flashed a very enticing smile, Yue-style. "And you too, Mistress, even though you are not aware of it."

"Hoe! Me?" Sakura scratched her head. "How come?"

"Because you raised your magical power a level higher than usual, and as equally as Clow (or even greater than him), it would have a bearing on your looks, and how people would perceive you." Yue winked. "Back in the teenage days of Clow, he was a great sight in the old days of Tomoeda, and women literally kneeled before her."

The image of a handsome Clow surrounded by madly screaming ladies in ancient kimonos made her scratch her head again. "I know that Clow was handsome himself, but I never thought that he was like a TV actor with screaming fans like that…"

"So like Clow, that might happen. Get ready when you come to school." Yue smiled again, enough for someone without magic faint right on the spot.

Sakura couldn't believe what Yue said. "Eh-er, I don't really get what you mean…"

Sakura realized what Yue-san was talking about when they too both reached the school together. Yukito drew a mob of outrageously admiring girls, mistaking him as a new heartthrob matinee idol having a campus tour. A girl took Sakura's hand and said, "Are you part of a singing girl group? A model, perhaps? An actress?"

"Huh? Me? I'm just—"

"Kawayii! Can I have picture with you, please?"

Sakura had never expected this to happen, mistaking her for a celebrity coming from Tokyo. She insisted she's not, and finally, Naoko, one of her classmates came at the scene and convinced the crowd that Sakura is her classmate and not a celebrity, but couldn't help asking, "Sakura-chan, is he—" She referred to Yukito, blushing as she did so, "—your new boyfriend?"

"HOE! Yukito-san is one of my bestfriends! I consider him a close brother!"

Unexpectedly, Shaoran met them along the way and instead of greeting Yukito a warm _ohayou,_ Shaoran looked at him quite stingily, drawing the crowd away. "Ah, _ohayou, _Lee-kun." Yukito smiled.

Shaoran pulled his necktie instead. "Why are taking her with you so early in the morning?"

There was a gripping silence that caught the three of them in a sudden tension. Sakura felt her heart rap nervously. "Shaoran—what—"

"Answer me, Yukito-san." Shaoran coldly pressed, not even looking at Sakura.

"Lee-kun," Yukito still gave him a sincere smile, "I just walked with Sakura-chan along the usual alleyway. We just chatted about the early summer of Tomoeda." He even pointed to the peach tree blossoming nearby. "It's amazing, right, Lee-kun?"

But Shaoran just glared at him. "Walked with her? Chatted with her? What are you up to now, Yukito-san?" He pulled him even closer. "Or rather, what are you up to with your mistress, Yue?"

Sakura was alarmed. "Shaoran! What are you saying? We just met in the way to school and walked together!"

"Everybody would think that Sakura dumped me for you, Yukito-san." Shaoran told the innocent Yukito, who just looked at him earnestly confused. "With that bouquet…" He looked at the roses with dislike.

"I'm sorry, Lee-kun. I promise I won't do that anymore." He bowed to express his apology. "My other self wants to tell you that—" He stopped short of his words. "Ah—no, never mind—"

"What is it? Spit it out!" Shaoran shouted heatedly.

"Shaoran! These roses are from my neighbor, Narami-san!" Sakura held him back. "And please, don't shout at Yukito-san!"

"Please, it is nothing, Sakura-chan," Yukito said and bowed again at Shaoran. "_Gomenasai, _Lee-kun. _Gomenasai._"

"Tell me what Yue wanted to tell me!" Shaoran insisted.

"But—"

"Just say it!"

"_He said that jealousy would only break you apart if you keep that attitude_—oh— I'm sorry— I'm so sorry! It was Yue who said that—" Yukito bowed again. "_Gomenasai, gomenasai…_"

Sakura was taken aback, as though an unknown sword stabbed her right in the heart. _Shaoran's jealousy?_

"Better watch your other self, Yukito-san." Shaoran muttered angrily. He walked away, angry and swearing under his breath as he did so. Sakura tried to stop him but he just swung his arm to resist her grip. Yukito was deeply regretful of what happened. "_Gomen_, Sakura-chan. It is my fault… it is my fault—"

"No, it isn't, Yukito-san." Sakura said stoically, gazing at Shaoran as he walked farther away. "I think these are one of the things that are meant to happen." She resisted the urge to cry for right there in her chest, the pain was building up again. "Yue-san, do you know how sooner would it be?" She was talking about their falling apart, and Yue, who was still inside Yukito, answered, "The cards did not tell you when, but Time told me, that it would be soon, Sakura."

"I thought today would be a fine one for me." She said sadly. _But too early in the morning, Shaoran already expressed the first signs._

"Maybe it would be, Sakura-chan." Yukito told her. "You just have to wait for the day to unfold."

Unknown to Sakura was that the wheel had made its turn to her round of bad luck.

Tomoyo took her hand and her voice never failed to sooth Sakura. "Sakura-chan, sometimes we just don't understand how a boy thinks." She caressed Sakura's hair, empathizing with her friend's teary-eyed demeanor. "After all, Lee-kun is just a boy, and boys get jealous sometimes."

Sakura wiped another tear about to fall from her emerald eyes. "You're right, Tomoyo-chan." She tried to bring a smile in her lips. "And I should not be angry at what he did. This is just the first time he acted like that."

"He will realize his mistake, Sakura-chan." Tomoro assured her. "Lee-kun can be stubborn at first, but you know that he will be soft enough to make up with you."

Sakura just nodded. _If only Tomoyo-chan knows about what will happen to us._

"So Sakura-chan, don't cry anymore and smile for me, please…" Tomoyo kissed her forehead. "When you're down, you know I will be too. I don't want to see like that, Sakura-chan."

"_Gomenasai, _Tomoyo-chan, for making you worried…" Sakura told her bestfriend. "Before this day ends I will have to make up with Shaoran."

As they went to their next class, Sakura sent Shaoran a text message saying to meet her by the school gate, for they need to walk down by the woods to mend their misunderstanding the morning earlier. Two hours had passed and he had not yet replied. Sakura sat in the classroom with a blank look in her face, gazing outside the window. The professor were announcing the results of the preliminary exams.

"Most of you, unfortunately, did not make it well, most especially in calculus and probability; and in advanced biology and physics, only a few passed." The class went noisy with sighs and complaints that the exams were too hard. The professor continued, "But I am quite impressed that a student made it exceptionally high in all the exams, and because of _her_ performance, she is our top student for the period." Whispers of awe were all around the room. They were guessing that it was either Naoko or Tomoyo. Finally the professor said, "A round of applause for Kinomoto-san."

A loud unexpected clapping followed, with Sakura not even noticing that it was meant for her. Tomoyo-chan shook her arm. "Sakura-chan! You are so brilliant!"

"Huh? Why?" Then she noticed that everybody was staring at her, smiling and cheering at her. "What is happening?"

The professor continued, "In Calculus, she got 94%, in probability, 97%. In advanced bio, she got a very excellent 100% mark! In physics, she got 91%. You are outstanding, Kinomoto-san. Every year I have noticed that your academic performance is improving, and this year you must do even well for you could become a candidate for honors."

Sakura was dumbfounded, "HOOEE!" She found the results of the exams quite high for her perceived level of intellect. When she received the test questions and checked if her answers were even falsified to see if her achievement was not schemed by a student or a teacher, she found that there wasn't any sign of fraud, and wondered at herself that she really did well in the exams. "Or maybe… it could only be sheer luck."

In her mind the Light card spoke to her— "_Sakura, this is brought about by your acquired intuition. You have the power to know even when the answers are not clear to you."_

_"Light-san!" _Sakura said in her mind. _"These are one of the unknown powers that I have received from the stars?"_

_"Yes, Mistress. There is no need to wonder about it."_

Sakura felt relieved that it wasn't a hoax nor a one-in-a-billion luck. Ruminating on those past years, she realized that indeed, her intellect has been progressing ever since the conversion of the sealed card. It was normal back then to be third or fourth in the list of topnotchers in their class for it wasn't the star section, but now it was evident that she was getting cleverer. There is a possibility that she might get placed in the star section next year with Tomoyo, for her bestfriend was the constant second best in their class. She didn't like that, for then she would be leaving her other friends like Naoko, Rika, Chiharu and Yamazaki. Then she was surprised at herself, thinking like that. _But shouldn't I be happy?_ She told herself. _For if I get placed in the star section, I will be sharing classes with Shaoran!_ But no, Sakura couldn't take herself to agree with that idea. And for some unknown reasons, she felt that somehow there are things that she just don't want to share with Shaoran.

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura told her with worry in her voice, "It has been an hour, almost."

"I know, Sakura-chan…" Tomoyo replied softly. They were still standing by the gate of the school. Twilight is already approaching and the skies are slowly being painted with orange and violet hues. Still, Shaoran has not yet come.

Sakura's phone rang. It was him. "Hello, Shaoran," Sakura said, and in her voice she couldn't help sounding uneasy and fretful. Tomoyo watched her with a concerned look on her face.

"_Sakura, sorry for not replying at your text. I am currently in an emergency situation," _Shaoran said, his voice in a tired and hasty tone,_ "Meiling,_" There was suddenly a heavy weight in his tone, _"Meilin— she— she — she's in the hospital. She broke her leg in a car accident, and she's still… in coma—"_ Shaoran was crying now. Tomoyo was shocked and held her hands together as if praying.

"Meilin-chan!" Sakura felt really bad at the news. "Oh, Shaoran, I'm sorry to hear such a thing… Meilin-chan, oh… Tomoyo and I would certainly want—"

_"Please understand, Sakura, I'm in the airport right now. I couldn't tell you earlier because of my haste."_ Shaoran sighed. _"I know that you would insist to come to Hong Kong, but Meilin's family would only allow family members to see her. Gomenasai, Sakura, Tomoyo-chan. I do wish you could come with me, but it really would not be acceptable for Meilin's family."_

Sakura breathed deeply. "I understand, Shaoran… please take care. Visit her for us…" Sakura cried silently. "I know that Meilin will wake up… so tell her, that Tomoyo-chan and I definitely misses her…"

_"I would, Sakura."_ Shaoran said, in an almost rueful tone. _"It's time then. I'll be back, I promise."_

"Shaoran," Sakura spoke, "I love you."

_"I love you, Sakura."_

After that, the call was cut, and the bestfriends looked at each other, assuring each other that their other friend would be alright. "_Daijobu desu…_" Sakura looked up to the skies and summoned the Hope card. _"Meilin-chan…"_

When Sakura got home, all she could think of was Shaoran, on his trip back to Hong Kong to see Meilin. "I hope we'll be alright when he comes back." She told Keroberos what happened all throughout the day, and Kero replied, "Strange, Sakura. Today has been an up and down day for you. Who do you say gave you the flowers?"

"Ah, Narami-san. She's very kind. She is very old but she could still pick up an understandable conversation."

"And where are the flowers?"

Sakura lifted her palm and a white orb appeared in it. "Lock carried it for me." Then the bunch of pink and white roses materialized, and slowly descended to Sakura's arms. "Narami-san is so nice, Kero."

"Lock has this new power?" Kero said, awed by the new magic exhibited by the card.

"Yes, it's one of those that I gave her. Lock is now capable of hiding and carrying something."

"What are the other powers that you gave the cards?" Kero said, even more interested this time.

"Huh, Kero-chan, do I have to enumerate them to you?" Sakura summoned the cards to align before them. "The elemental cards became stronger, and look at this—" Fire, Earth, Water and Wind materialized, filling the whole room with magic. The seal appeared on the floor. "Now, show us your new magical feature," Sakura commanded them. At once the four cards whirled and rushed to each other, fusing into a oneness. A bright light flashed and a new appearance emerged out of it.

"Mistress." The four cards spoke in unison through their new form.

Kero was downright amazed. "Marvelous, Sakura! So who is she?"

"She is Matter." Sakura gazed at Matter, the combination of the Four Elemental Cards. She had long flowing white hair and large angel-like wings, and her robes is a combination of blue, red, brown and yellow hues beautifully laid out in harmony. Her eyes shone with a gold flair and she had a very goddess-like face, somewhat like…

"Sakura! She looks like…"

"Yes." Sakura nodded. "Like my mother."

"So what can Matter do, Sakura?"

"Aside from having the powers of the four elemental cards, Matter can _create_ something out of nothing." Sakura turned to Matter and said, "Matter, please produce a gold bar in front of Kero." She laughed lightly as she said it.

Matter smiled and with a gesture of her palms altogether, she created a gold bar, handing it to Kero as she did so. "HOEE! Amazing, Sakura! Yue should see this! But wait," He looked at the gold bar, "Isn't it that Create could also do something like this?"

"Things that Create produces are objects of magic only. But with Matter, it is the real thing."

"Oh, so you could create monsters with Matter and they would be real, right?"

"Ah, no, Kero-chan. Things that Matter could create do not include things that are from the imagination. Matter is concerned only with the physical reality, whereas Create is the master of the imagination."

Matter returned to the four elemental forms and became cards again. They looked happy to show to their mistress what Matter looked like. "As for the other cards," Sakura said, "I think it would be great if you, Tomoyo-chan and Yue-san could also see it. How about tomorrow, Kero-chan? Maybe Tomoyo-chan would like to capture it in video."

"And our first film in our new forms too! This would be great! YOSH!"

"I should also see it." Touya, who was already at the door, were carrying a plate of strawberry cake and a glass of orange juice. He looked at Kero. "_Hai,_ a little kaijou with a cute butt." He went to the desk and put the plate and the glass atop it. Keroberos went simmering in an instant, ready to spit fire.

"Onii-chan! Would you knock before even entering?" She noticed the cake and said, "Is that for me?"

"Oh, reserve it for your little kaijou guardian." Upon hearing that, Kero's sour face turned rather teary-eyed and angelic. Touya sat on the chair, facing his sister. "I brought good news for everyone of us, Sakura." He smiled.

"Good news?" Her spirits lifted in an instant. "Like really, really good?"

"Yes." Touya's face brightened even more. "We are moving to a bigger house— and not just a house. It is a preserved traditional mansion uptown, near the forests and the lake."

Sakura stood up in great surprise. "Wow! This is really great news, Onii-chan! Really great!"

"Well, Otou-san and I have been saving for years to meet the 750-M downpayment. Then we could pay the remaining installment price for twenty-years."

"HOOEE! You've been saving for years? Is that the reason why you have been working since highschool?"

"Yes, Sakura. This is for us." He smiled. "I told Yukito to live with us there. It would be happier then, right?"

"Onii-chan! But how much do you still need to pay for the remaining balance?"

"Oh, just a mere 840-M." He looked at her quite cooly. "Why, you have something to pay for it?"

"Um—" She pulled the gold bar from underneath the blankets and almost coolly said— "How about this?"

Before Touya could speak his utmost shock, Kero already emptied the plates and the glass of orange juice. "Boy, boy, that was delicious indeed! I want more of this when we get to that mansion, _ne— _Sakura?"

Just before the gate of the Kinomoto's, he stood in the street, looking up to the window of Sakura's room. He held his staff and swung it, returning to his casual form. Smiling, a card flew and descended to his hand, with words written it:

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

_Major Arcana_

"Sakura, thank you for helping me make this card." He left a lone violet rose by the gate. "We have more cards to make, and you have much more to learn…"

Sakura and Touya both felt his presence at the same time— and they rushed to the window. Keroberos looked worried. "What is he doing here?"

Though there was no one in the streets, Sakura knew that this time, that presence was undeniable. _Is this his way of greeting me after five years?_

Touya closed the sill. "Sakura, if you feel you are in danger, just don't forget to call me and summon Yue."

"Onii-chan…" Sakura said, "But he wouldn't hurt me again…"

"I just want to make sure, Sakura."

Now she was certain— what she had felt from that dead maple tree was indeed him. But why did he return? Is there something that he wants to talk about? As Sakura closed her eyes, a dream swept into her, but it was a quick vision, of purple-bluish flowers and the face of Eriol.


	4. The Truth Card and Return of the Sun

Sakura slipped the phone in her pocket and looked at Tomoyo with unease. "Meilin-chan's still in coma."

"Meilin-chan…" Tomoyo said, "I really hope we could see her, Sakura-chan…"

They strolled at the campus and stopped by underneath the trees where they used to sit. Sakura sighed deeply. "I miss him already."

_Two days. It has been two days without seeing Shaoran and I already feel silly._

"Are your father and brother moving your things out today?" Tomoyo said, finding a new topic to break their sad silence.

"Yes. But Father needs to attend an emergency faculty meeting today, so Onii-chan took charge. Anyway, Yukito and Kero are helping him right now. I also summoned Power and Float to do some of the job."

"I am glad for the development, Sakura-chan. I would like to visit with my mom tomorrow, would that be alright?"

"Sure, Tomoyo-chan. Let's have a small tea party." But inside Sakura's mind, she was thinking if it was better if Shaoran was around.

"I remember having our last tea party when Eriol-kun visited Japan five years ago, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said with a sentimental flicker in her voice.

Then Sakura remembered his presence two days ago… outside their house… and the purple rose she found the morning after. _He is in Tomoeda…_

She wanted to tell Tomoyo that very instance about Eriol's unspoken presence but she felt that it might be better to be very sure. Although she knew how sure she really was…

The last time Eriol visited Japan was the day that followed after capturing the sealed card. He was worried about her, but then he was happy knowing that she managed to return the order back in Tomoeda. "I am pleased to know you're alright, Sakura…" He said as he held her hand.

The reason Eriol came back five years ago was to make sure everything was alright. After their last phone call, Spinel, who came with Eriol, told Sakura that his master was really anxious and decided to fly to Japan after four days. Knowing everything was okay, they had their tea party in Sakura's house. Sakura could still remember that day.

"I would like to announce," Tomoyo said in a spirited tone, "—that Lee-kun and Sakura-chan are officially on!"

Meilin, who was also there, exclaimed, "Finally!"

Shaoran and Sakura looked embarrassed and flushing about it. Eriol smiled at them. "Lee-kun, Sakura, I am happy for you. Cheers—"

In a split second Sakura saw something that was different in Eriol's eyes. She wanted to be sure if it was some kind of unhappiness or disappointment, but then in another split second his eyes shone as if he was really happy and cheerful. When they walked him to the bus stop at the end of the day, that was the last time that Sakura had ever talked to Eriol.

"Sakura, as the Mistress of the Cards, you have a responsibility to the world." Eriol looked at her in the eyes. "Do not be afraid to experiment with new magic. You can find greater power if you seek it in the light of the stars. Only you can tap that power."

"Eriol-kun…" She smiled. "Please visit Japan often, okay?"

"I cannot promise that, Sakura." He gazed at her deeply. "But I can promise one thing."

"What is it?"

"I will return someday."

Now, Sakura was wondering as she gazed up to the rolling clouds and the blue skies. Eriol has fulfilled his promise. But where is he, and why isn't he showing up to her these days?

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" Tomoyo said, surprised at her sudden silence.

"Ah, yes, of course." She smiled. "I just remembered something."

"Oh, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo glanced at her wristwatch, "I have to go to the afternoon practice for the solo performance." She rose and took her bag.

"Then see you after school, Tomoyo-chan." She leaned against the tree trunk and yawned. "I'd take a short nap."

"Bye, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo left, leaving her alone underneath the shade of the trees. The wind was blowing gently and it wasn't too long when she fell asleep after.

Back in their house, Touya could not place his confusion and surprise when all of the cards materialized to give him some help. But in fact, they were doing everything, making Touya and Yukito just stare in a corner. "Well, they really like helping out, eh, Touya?" Yukito said. Touya scratched his head. "Is this one of their new magical features?"

The cards, who could materialize as though in complete human-like forms, were wearing maid dresses and they look cheerful and delighted about it. Yukito transformed into Yue, surprising Touya again. "Not only them." He said. "Sakura allowed me to have a human-like form as well." Yue indeed look more ordinarily human-like with his casual clothes and shoulder-length hair, but he still looks dazzling and too handsome. "I'll help them out, Touya."

Light and Dark even smiled past Touya as they carried the pile of books coming from the library, with Power carrying a huge bookshelf all by herself. Wood enjoyed carrying the pots of plants, and Flower took the effort in carrying the vases with her, filling them with flowers at her whim. Wind folded the curtains and bedsheets, and Water and Fire, who could cause more trouble than help, just offered to direct the other cards what to do. They carried the things to the truck, and some curious people were wondering why there were too many beautiful maids working now for the Kinomoto family.

Mirror went to Touya's side. "How are you?" She said, blushing.

"Happy." He smiled. "Thank you for all your help. Sakura only summoned two cards, but how come you all offered help?"

"Mistress is helpful and kind, and we wanted to show our loyalty by being like her. This small favor is nothing." She smiled as she looked at the other cards who were working.

"You can all roam freely in the mansion when we get there." Touya said, gazing at Mirror. "It is nice to see you in your human-like form, Mirror-san."

Mirror blushed again. "Thank you."

"We can go out again together," He said, smiling, "But not with you looking like Sakura anymore."

"Touya…"

Keroberos, who had pretended to look like a big shaggy dog carrying a pillow in his mouth, was running to the truck. A group of girls stopped by, saying he was a cute, intelligent dog. Keroberos took the chance to show off and the other cards laughed at him. Yue, who passed by, made the girls even scream. "Oh— you look like a prince! What is your name? What is your name?" When Yue answered, "I prefer not be known." and flashed his mysterious smile, they fainted right on the spot. He laughed. "Who's cuter, Keroberos?" Keroberos was slack-jawed at what Yue did and even the other cards giggled at Yue's handsomeness.

She felt like floating away. Like the pink cherry blossoms fluttering in the breeze, she gazed at them as they fade away in her vision. Then there was the face of Time, suddenly flashing when the void of blackness ate the beautiful visions away, with her words— "Dark. Change. Heart." And before her the image of Shaoran appeared, as though walking away from her, and she tried to stop him. "Shaoran! Shaoran!" It was futile to run for every step she takes only made him disappear and disappear into oblivion. Before she could scream for his name again, she lit her eyes— waking up in a breathless muted nightmare.

"A dream." She whispered, as the afternoon clouds roll by. The shade of the trees composed her mind. But like an imprint the images of the dream still lingered in her eyes. "Just a dream…"

It was then that she felt that something was wrong in her surroundings. An eerie atmosphere of unknown magic suddenly enveloped her awareness. Then every sound— the chirping of the birds, the rustling of the trees, the noise of the afternoon volleyball games— were gone. _No— this couldn't be another dream—_

A surge of magical wind came rushing towards her, like an arrow aiming directly at her. "What is this!" She summoned her key as she ran, trying to escape from the attacking wind. "RELEASE!" Her staff appeared, but then came the stark realization that the cards were not with her. "I have to think of something—"

The wind caught her left leg and she moaned in pain as she stumbled in the grass. She faced the invisible attacker, now forming a sharper arrowhead ready to pierce her straight in the chest—

Then with a sudden instinctive move, Sakura raised her staff and the golden ribbons in it flew by and became wind-like magical force— shielding her from the attack and vaporizing the strong aura enveloping her.

At once, the magic which just attacked her was gone. She heaved in ragged breaths. "Why is someone trying to hurt me— and who—"

"I never intended to hurt you." The familiar voice said. "Only that it is inevitable for you to learn."

Underneath the shade of a maple tree, the figure stood, gazing at her with calm, intelligent eyes. He was holding his staff— the symbol of the sun.

At last, Sakura has finally seen Eriol Hiragizawa after five years of silence between them.

"Eriol-kun—" Sakura stood up and never dared to approach him. She just saw what he did— that he was trying to hurt her again— and she could not help disbelieving what he just said.

"How are you, Sakura?" He smiled, with the same tranquil and reserved demeanor in his sapphire eyes. He walked towards her and as he did so, Sakura could only step back and tried to shield herself with her staff.

_Have you come to hurt me? My family? My friends?_

There was something that baffled Sakura the day she first met Eriol. Aside from the intuition of him holding a great magical power, there was something dark, mysterious and unnerving about the way he stares, talks or smiles. Ironically, Eriol's personality had a peculiar way of making her feel at ease. Like a feeling of safety and protection, perhaps.

Sakura wanted to deny those things for she knew that there would always be something that he would never know about Eriol. The five years that separated them became like a barrier now, dividing them from each other's existence. She felt like Eriol was some kind of a stranger now. He has grown more handsome and taller indeed, but the cold and sometimes cruel blue eyes, the enigmatic smile and the smooth cool voice had not changed; they were even more pronounced. His hair had grown a bit longer as far as Sakura remembered. And his magic, conceivably, had also become stronger…

"I know you've been in Tomoeda for many days now, Eriol—" Sakura intentionally left out the friendly address. "You've been following me."

"Yes, and I made sure you noticed, Sakura." He waved his staff, returning it into its key form. "I owe you a formal greeting of my return. I have been too impolite. _Shinimasen, _Sakura-san."

"What do you want, Eriol?" Sakura demanded. "I thought we are through with this. Why are you doing this?"

Eriol gazed at her deeply, which made her still. "I see that you are still in doubt, Sakura."

Sakura could not find the right words to retort. She wanted to be angry but all at once, Eriol's voice instantly dissolved away her distrust. Eriol drew nearer her, fixing his eyes on her as he did so, and like he did before— "It is nice meeting you again for such a long time," He kneeled slightly and took her hand, "Sakura—" He kissed her hand.

Sakura felt the same flushing feeling again. This time, she quickly withdrew her hand and guarded herself with her staff. "No! Don't— don't you ever touch me!"

Eriol just stood and smiled calmly. "_Shinimasen,_" He bowed lowly.

"Greeting me like that after you almost threatened my life!" Sakura snapped. "I have a reason to be angry, Eriol!"

"That I won't refute, Sakura." He said coolly. "But you have a reason to be thankful as well, for you had discovered earlier that you can use your raw magical power to defend and attack."

"Raw magical power?" She knitted her brows. "What are you talking about?"

"The cards, Sakura, are preserved, concentrated magic, as well as the existence and the power of the guardians; whereas the magic you just revealed is spontaneous and raw. Raw magic is capable of doing a lot of things, just as any as you wished. Only few powerful magicians have succeeded using raw magic that way, Sakura."

"That includes you then…" She unconsciously replied.

"Yes." He lifted his own palm and a blue orb appeared in it. "This is raw magic, Sakura, which you can command in any form—" He freed the orb, which became strong gushes of wind that enveloped them. "It can be defeated easily by another equally strong raw magic, the way you did awhile ago, but it would take some time before a type of preserved magic could." He glanced at her new star staff and was silently awed. "Now you are much stronger than my previous self, Sakura. Surely you have tapped the power of the stars to its limit. I am glad for your development."

_How about your current self? _Sakura thought. "I want to know the reason why you have returned, Eriol."

"The reason like I had before."

The magical wind ebbed away and its last notes blew to their direction and made their hair dance with the rhythm of the treetops.

"Why?" Sakura pierced his eyes with her own. "Is there something disastrous that is about to happen?"

"I do not know." _But maybe._

"Then what is it?"

"I need to bring out your unknown powers, Sakura." He said sternly. "Only then will you become the most powerful magician in the world."

Sakura was surprised at his words. But objecting, she said— "I do not need to become the most powerful magician!"

"It is inevitable, Sakura." He pointed to her wand. "Yours is a magical arts capable of tapping the positive infinite. You are holding a great responsibility in your hands."

"I can hold responsibility without becoming the most powerful." She said with determination. "I do not aim for power. I only aim for peace and goodness."

"Because some magicians will try to take your power from you, Sakura." He told her with his deepest concern. "I need to tell you what to do, to tell you what you need to know." He reached for her hand. "Trust me, Sakura. I only wanted to protect you."

"Eriol-kun…" The trust, even though she wouldn't admit, was back in Sakura's voice. "There's one more thing I want to be certain."

Eriol smiled. "You may do so as you wish." He closed his eyes.

Sakura raised her staff and summoned the stars. The seal appeared, and at once, the wings of the staff spread majestically, as the staff gathered raw magic from the light of the sun, moon and stars. Closing her eyes, she felt within the depths of her heart the purity of what it means to be good.

"O celestial power,

Infinite and bright—

Sun, moon and star,

Bring me out your light—

By the name of Sakura,

I command you…

Give birth to the card of—"

She opened her eyes and summoned a new entity to materialize—

"TRUTH!"

A short-haired, pixie-like lady with white hair and golden robes emerged out of a magical orb and she descended to Eriol. Like a translucent spirit, she passed through him, and then ascended again to tell her mistress what she had seen in Eriol's heart. "Mistress—" She spoke, "What I see is truth and nothing but a purity of heart."

All at once she saw Eriol again as someone close to her heart. _He wouldn't hurt me. I know it… and I am right—_

Sakura smiled benevolently at the new card she just created and said, "Thank you, Truth."

"Thank you for creating me, Mistress." She kissed Sakura's forehead and returned to her card form. After the seal was gone, she rushed towards Eriol, taking his hands in a tight clasp. "_Gomenasai, _Eriol-kun…" Sakura looked him in the eye with sincerity. "Truth is— I missed you!"

She embraced him all of a sudden that made Eriol step back.

**CHAPTER 5 – ** **Clow Reed's First Love**

He was still ecstatic about the way she embraced her that day. A smile crept in his lips, but it was not his usual mysterious smile. There was something so new about it, another kind of emotion perhaps. He also had the opportunity to walk her home alone by dusk, and when they reached her new house, Tomoyo, Keroberos and Yue were already there, preparing for the small night tea party. Tomoyo met them


	5. Clow Reed's First Love

He was still ecstatic about the way she embraced her that day. A smile crept in his lips, but it was not his usual mysterious smile. There was something so new about it, another kind of emotion perhaps. He also had the opportunity to walk her home alone by dusk, and when they reached her new house, Tomoyo, Keroberos and Yue were already there, preparing for the small night tea party. Tomoyo met them by the tall wooden gate.

"Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo beamed, "I'm glad to see you back!"

"Tomoyo-chan, it's very nice to see you too." He said cheerfully. "You've grown so much, you and Sakura."

"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo whispered to him out of Sakura's earshot, "—is so beautiful and charming than ever. I always make sure that I document every stage of her transition into a woman!"

"Tomoyo-chan, you're still the same." He laughed lightly and glanced at Sakura, who was wondering what they could be talking about. "Sakura is a beauty, indeed."

Sakura, who was clueless about what they were whispering all about, said, "Eh, Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun, let's go inside. I'm sure Kero and Yue are waiting…"

As they walked inside, the three passed a front yard full of trees and night-blooming florals. Small lanterns were hanging from the branches, lighting the pebbled path.

"How is Shaoran doing?" Eriol asked.

"Shaoran…" Sakura whispered softly.

Although Eriol knew about Shaoran's whereabouts, he pretended not to know. But not long before he have known that Meilin was in coma, he actually sent Nakuru to pretend as a nurse in the hospital where she was confined, to aid her in healing faster. He knew that by the next two days, Meilin would have woken up completely.

Tomoyo replied, with a sudden tinge of melancholy in her face. "Shaoran… is in Hong Kong… because…"

Sakura looked down when she heard what Tomoyo said. Eriol took her hand. "Is it something too private to talk about, Sakura?" His voice was enough to console their unexpected sadness.

"No, not really, Eriol…" Sakura said, "We are just worried. Meilin-chan is in—coma. Shaoran flew to Hong Kong to see her."

Eriol gave them a very empathic look. "I am sorry to hear that, Sakura, Tomoyo-chan…"

"We hope that she'd wake up soon…" Sakura spoke anxiously.

"Don't worry," He smiled serenely. "Sooner, she would." N_akuru is healing her with the moon's power._

Upon reaching the reception quarter's of the abode, the door immediately slid apart to welcome them. "Eriol! Hoee… I know it was you! I couldn't be wrong!"

"Keroberos," He said, curiously looking at his new features. "Sakura gave you new abilities, I suppose?" He laughed softly. "Why are you wearing a small boxer short?"

Indeed, Kero was wearing a red boxer shorts custom-fitted for him. Kero looked very shame-faced to tell him why. All of a sudden, the answer came— "He has grown a butt, Eriol." It was Yue, wearing traditional Japanese clothes, fanning himself as he emerged to the room. "Ah, you did surprise us, Eriol-sama."

"You surprised me too, Yue." He smiled back. "I am glad that you and Keroberos are enjoying your new forms."

"HOE! Exception here!" Kero protested. Sakura looked at him sharply.

"Kero-chan…" Sakura threatened, holding her key. "You want an amendment?"

"Ah, he-he-he, Sakura," Kero retreated at the back of Eriol, peering just behind his shoulder, "—you don't want me to resign my post, eh?"

"Hmph!" Sakura sighed. "Well, well, well."

Eriol and Tomoyo just laughed at them. Keroberos turned his attention to Eriol again. "Say, Eriol…" He was awkwardly looking at every part of his face. "You have grown to look somewhat like… the younger…"

"Clow." Yue said quietly, "You look like the teenage Clow."

Sakura's image of the handsome Clow with the screaming ladies in ancient kimonos popped in her head. _The teenage Clow? _She compared this image with Eriol as she gazed at him, and when Eriol glanced at her right at the moment, she blushed unknowingly.

"But he's even more handsome, I bet you, Yue!" Kero butted. "Eriol, where's Spinel and Nakuru?"

"In my condominium downtown. That's where I stay." He replied. "Maybe I'll visit again with Spinel and Nakuru, that would be fun," A touch of Clow's aura permeated his personality, "—eh, Keroberos?"

Kero was suddenly silenced. "Ah—ye—_Clow_,"

Eriol just laughed. "Sometimes, I just can't help being like him all of a sudden. But I am not Clow, and you all know that," He said, "—_ne, _Sakura?"

Sakura smiled at him. "That's right. You are Eriol and Clow is Clow." He pulled him to sit by the center table. "And by the way, you are our very special guest for today, Eriol-kun."

He gazed up to her and smiled. "Thank you, Sakura."

The new residence of the Kinomotos was a very spacious traditional Japanese abode— with a Zen courtyard filled with century-old trees lit with lanterns, and myriad of beautifully-tended bushes and flowering plants. The wooden floors and walls, sliding doors and windows were all polished and renovated, and the faint scent of sandalwood and cedar was in the air. The reception room where they were, was open to permit the view of the moonlit courtyard and the gentle night breeze.

"I would like to show you something, Eriol," Sakura said, and as they sat altogether, traditional Japanese music suddenly sounded in the room.

"A presentation, Sakura?" He said, amused.

"Yes," She snapped her fingers, "From the cards themselves."

The large door slid open before them, and the human form of the cards wearing brightly-colored kimonos paced rhythmically before them. Dash, who looked like a large black cat, was thumping a small drum with his paw. Song and Voice were the ones who supplied the music, and they went to the corner with their traditional Japanese musical instruments. The dance of the cards started.

"They are beautiful, Sakura." Eriol said, smiling at the cards before him. The cards bowed one by one to him and Flower showered him with cherry blossom petals.

"Thank you, Eriol… They are very pleased to see you, and I told them that they could prepare a presentation for you."

"I sense that they have also become stronger… and I think, you have created more cards—" He pointed to a long-haired lady wearing orange kimono. "She is new, isn't she, together with the two ones beside her?"

"Yes," She smiled appreciatively. "The lady in orange kimono is the Dance card. She was the one who taught the other cards this traditional dance. In her left is the Clean card— and the other one is—"

"Reminder, which she used now more often because she kept on forgetting her homeworks." Touya came at the reception room, bringing in the tea set and the snacks. Sakura was surprised at his sudden reply. "Onii-chan!"

Eriol laughed softly. Touya noticed him and he looked sternly at Eriol at him. Gazing intently at each other, Touya suddenly had an expression of ease. "_Gomenasai_, for my first impression on you, Eriol-san." He said.

"I understand it, Touya-san." Eriol bowed his head to him. "I know why." He smiled. Touya returned his smile with his own.

"Thank you for helping Sakura develop her magical abilities." He said, bowing to Eriol as well.

"It is my destiny, Touya-san." Those words were only heard by Touya. Wondering and taken aback by this revelation, he left them to converse. "Sakura, just call me if you need something, okay?"

"Thank you very much, Onii-chan." She smiled appreciatively at her brother.

Finally, when the presentation was done, Eriol was the first one to clap his hands. The cards bowed, blushing, and Light and Dark took Eriol's hands and said, "Thank you for coming tonight, Eriol-sama."

Wood beamed a smile at him and said, "I remember very much the younger Clow in you, Eriol-sama."

"He's so _kawayii _!_"_ Small and Rain exclaimed together.

Eriol just laughed under his breath. "Their personalities are the same as ever," He smiled at them and bowed, "—thank you for the presentation. It is very beautiful."

But then he also told them, only in their own— _Always protect your Mistress, and always follow her commands…_

Then the cards all bowed when they heard Clow's voice from Eriol. Light gave him a smile to acknowledge his request. _We always would, Clow._

"Time to have our own recreational activity!" Reminder, a short-haired curly lady with yellow hair announced to the cards.

Mirror whispered to Sakura, "Mistress, your brother invited us to a watch a funny movie with him on the mini-theatre that he set up in the unused room."

"Onii-chan," Sakura giggled, "Of course, you may go. Thank you for the presentation, Mirror-san. Tell them I'm really happy for it."

"I would, Mistress." The cards all bowed and left, with Dash and the non-humanlike cards following after them.

Time was the last one to step out, and before she did so, she looked at Eriol and told him in his mind, "_You've been here before."_

_"I know," _Eriol replied to her, "_I still have to regain those memories—"_

Then Time left, her mistress unaware what Eriol and she talked about.

Eriol glanced around with a soft expression in his face. Aware that some memory were returning to his mind, the place then felt like he had been here before. _Clow have visited this abode many times when he was younger…_

He could see what the memory was. _And how coincidental, to find that he was the same age as mine now when he first stepped inside this house…_

As the others were already eating, with Yue and Keroberos contesting as to whether who of them is more handsome, Sakura noticed Eriol. "Eriol-kun, is there something wrong?"

He turned his eyes to her. "Nothing, Sakura." He smiled tranquilly. "I find this abode full of memories in the past."

"Memories—" Sakura wondered. "Have you been here before, Eriol-kun?"

"Not me." He lifted his teacup to his lips. "Clow, rather."

The two guardians and Tomoyo glanced to his direction. Yue said, "Clow had been here?"

"I didn't know!" Kero said. "How come he had another mansion?"

Eriol laughed under his breath. "Of course, this hadn't been his mansion, Keroberos." He faced Sakura. "Sakura, do you have the list of all the families who have lived in here?"

Sakura thought deeply. "Well, I remember seeing the details of the house in the contract files… There were only three families who have lived in this abode. The most recent, before us, lived here 27 years ago, the Fujitaka's… they never left a will, so the abode was passed to the Tomoeda Historical Heritage Sites Committee… which we, in turn, bought from the Committee…"

"Do you know who the original owner of this abode was?" Eriol asked.

"The family name resembles something like…" Sakura snapped her fingers. "Something like Ryukushi?"

"Right, Sakura." Eriol smiled. "The Ryukushi's were the first owner of this house."

"How did you know?" Keroberos was surprised.

"I didn't," He replied. "I told you, it was Clow's memory."

"So how is it that Clow had been here?" Yue asked with interest.

Eriol was silent for some seconds and said, "Maybe this is quite intriguing to tell."

And then everybody shouted, "WHAT IS IT?"

Eriol started to tell them the story. "There was once a very beautiful lady named Mikane, a daughter of a samurai who was feared in every corner of ancient Tomoeda. Mikane had a very long brown hair which shone beautifully under the sun, and her eyes were emerald-like and bright. She was very shy and soft-spoken, but when she speaks, she could silence everyone in the room."

In Tomoyo, Keroberos and Yue's imaginations, it was the image of Sakura wearing an elegant ancient kimono that popped in their minds. Sakura, naïve as she was, imagined a faceless girl instead. Eriol continued. "Mikane was hidden in this very abode, under the will of his father, for she was sought by every noble man from other villages. And the room two doors from here to the left…"

"—that's my room, Eriol!" Sakura said.

"—was Mikane's very room."

Sakura suddenly inched close to him and grabbed his arm. "HOEE! She isn't a ghost in here, right, Eriol?"

Eriol looked at her. "That I do not know, Sakura…"

"HOEEEE!" She trembled even more, making Eriol laugh softly on his own. Yue sighed and Tomoyo just chuckled at Sakura's reaction. "I was just joking, Sakura." Eriol said with a smile. "Mikane is a very kind person. She wouldn't haunt this place." _For she is very like you, Sakura._

"So, what now, what happened to Mikane," Keroberos urged Eriol to continue the story.

Eriol went on. "Her father, who was strict and very powerful, wanted her to marry a young man named Tadeshi, the son of another samurai. But Mikane didn't want to, saying she couldn't love somebody whom she didn't know. So one day, Mikane rebelled against her father and sneaked out of the abode."

The four of them were already listening intently. Sakura was unknowingly clinging to Eriol's arm as he spoke. "Mikane traveled to the depths of the forest to outrun anyone who might try to find her. She saw them, the ninja servants of his father, already after her. She ran further, and then someone caught her hand— pulling her beneath the thick bushes. When she tried to scream, the same hand covered her mouth to silence her."

"_Hush_, the young man told her gently, _Stay calm. I will help you._ Mikane nodded. The mysterious man went out of their hiding to face the ninjas, who unsheathed their swords before him. Mikane became very afraid. But the young man only stayed calm, only gazing at the ninjas without expression in his face. The ninjas charged— and then what happened surprised Mikane beyond her imagination."

Everybody seemed absorbed at Eriol's story. It was the way he delivered it, which was so vivid and convincing. He continued. "A seemingly invisible shield protecting the mysterious man broke the swords of the ninjas, and they paced back, terrified at what they witnessed. And the mysterious man said, _Do not ever come back._ Then a very strong surge of wind rushed towards them, hurling them. They scampered away, screaming that the young man was a demon."

"When he faced Mikane, the lady was shaking in fright as well. She never witnessed something so extraordinary as that. She asked him, _Who are you?_ The young man smiled quietly and said, _Please, do not be afraid of me._ He looked up to a tree and waved his hand lightly to it, and all at once the flower bloomed. He caught a flower in his hand and gave it to Mikane, and told her his name."

They all muttered at once, "So what was his name?"

Eriol laughed softly. "Do I have to say it?" He sipped the tea in his cup.

"OF COURSE! Who is he?" Keroberos said, anticipating what he wanted to hear.

Everybody was waiting for Eriol, who was sipping his tea quite slowly. "Well, obviously," He smiled softly, putting down the teacup, "Mikane had just met Clow."

"I thought it's a made-up story! It was real all along!" Tomoyo exclaimed. Keroberos flew in the midst of them. "Hooee….! A beautiful lady and Clow! I never thought!" Yue protested before Eriol. "Clow never told us about Mikane!" He added, "Or—you—never told us…"

"There are secrets that Clow would like to keep for himself." He just smiled quietly, somewhat exuding a Clow-like aura again.

"Did they become friends?" Sakura asked out of the blue.

Eriol's gaze turned to Sakura. They stared for a moment of silence and then he smiled softly, and said, "They became more than that, Sakura."

Keroberos and Yue were slack-jawed. Tomoyo then said, "They fell… in love?"

"Yes." Eriol said.

Yue crossed his arms, and reflected in his face in some sort of slight jealousy. "I guess Clow wanted Mikane hidden from us because we would get envious of her."

"Yes, I think so." Kero said, crossing also his arms the way Yue did.

"Of course not." Eriol said, some part of Clow permeating his personality again. "You two— Keroberos and Yue, were only created after Mikane died."

Everybody fell silent again. As Sakura was staring right in Eriol's face, she saw a slight pang of pain in it, reflecting perhaps the same silent pain that Clow had. She spoke to break the silent atmosphere, "Why… did Mikane…"

Eriol immediately replied. "Because Clow arrived too late in the scene. Tadeshi, the suitor, murdered Mikane."

Sakura clutched his hand. "Eriol…"

They looked at Eriol, whose eyes were fixed in a lone cherry tree in the midst of the courtyard, lit by the subtle light of the moonlight and the lanterns hanging by. There wasn't any smile in his calm, expressionless face.

"That was Clow's greatest regret." He spoke.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura said.

"There's nothing to be apologetic for, Sakura." Eriol said with a small smile. "It was Clow's destiny. We can't change it."

_But you can, Sakura. _Yet Eriol thought, that meddling with the events of the past could affect the future and change the fate of those in the present. _She shouldn't know that she could._

"Clow-san…" Sakura whispered on her own, thinking how painful had it been for the world's once greatest magician to lose his only love.

_If I only have the chance to change his destiny…_

Meanwhile, in the mini-theatre room where the cards were sitting, laughing to the scenes of the movie, they were all silenced— and eventually they looked at each other, feeling what their Mistress have felt.

Touya, who noticed the commotion of the cards, asked Mirror who was just beside him. "What's the matter?"

"Mistress…" Mirror gasped. "Mistress wanted to know if she could change the past."

After the tea, Keroberos retreated to Sakura's room, and Yue changed back into his Yukito form, yawning as he said good night, retreating also to his room beside Touya's.

Tomoyo bade them goodbye in the window of her car, "Good night, Sakura-chan, Eriol-kun! I had a wonderful time with you!"

"Take care, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura shouted back. Beside her was Eriol, who was gazing up to the same cherry tree in the courtyard, silent and thinking deeply. "Eriol…" She said, "I'm sorry for making you…"

"Sakura," He said, "Feeling Clow's pain isn't something that I can't avoid. I am bound to feel that."

Sakura also turned her gaze to the cherry tree. "I noticed you looking at that tree all the time. Would you mind if I ask why?"

Eriol smiled faintly. "Because that tree was planted by Clow himself. And there is some remaining magic in it that only I and some of your cards could feel." He walked towards it, and Sakura followed after him. "It was because of this tree that Clow was inspired to make Wood and Flower." Eriol said.

"Wood and Flower…" Sakura murmured.

"Mikane loved nature very much." Eriol spoke sentimentally. "She and Clow used to walk together along the river, and they spent hours just staring at the night skies." He caught a leaf floating in the air, "They sang songs together, and for Clow to remember Mikane's voice, he created Voice. There were many cards that he created just for her… including Sweet and Sleep."

"Even sleep?" Sakura said interestedly.

"Yes," Eriol laughed silently, "Because Mikane complained that she couldn't sleep thinking of him all night."

They both laughed softly. Sakura felt the silent devotion of Clow in Eriol's eyes. "I guess Clow really loved her… maybe even too much—"

Eriol looked at her. Sakura blushed slightly at his sudden stare. "Uh— I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"How did you know that he loved her way too much?" He asked emotionlessly.

"Well…" Sakura thought of words. _How did I know that, even?_ "It is just my feeling, Eriol. I feel it strongly that Clow does."

"—that Clow _did_, not… not does…"

"No, Eriol." Sakura was surprised at her own spontaneity. "Clow still does."

Eriol was silenced. _How could she know this hidden thing about me?_

"Do you want to see how much I loved Mikane?" He took her hand, surprising Sakura even more.

"Eriol—"

"Come with me, Sakura."

Then without a sound, he pressed their palms in the tree trunk. With a magical glow, the two disappeared— as if sucked by the cherry tree—

Transporting them to the distant past…

The cards, who were on their way out of the mini-theatre room, stopped in the corridor, shocked and silenced. The persona of the Return card spoke, "We didn't make it in time."

Touya, who were after them said, "What happened to Sakura!"

"Mistress…" Time said, pointing to the cherry tree in the midst of the courtyard, "—just returned to the past, using the latent magic sealed in that tree—"

"With Eriol-sama…" Light said.

Touya rushed to the tree and threw his fist in its trunk, shaking it with all futility. "Sakura!" He released some of his magic against the trunk with his hand, but the latent magic of the tree repelled him. Wood stopped him and held his hand back. "No, that would be useless." She said as she gazed at the tree's branches. "That tree is meant for the reincarnated ones."

"Reincarnated?"

Mirror answered, "Mistress and Eriol-sama… are the reincarnated ones."

"Reincarnation of whom?" He asked.

But the cards just remained silent, choosing not to answer his question.

"Eriol? Where—"

He was still holding her hand when they got in the Ryukushi's abode, that silent night. "Sshh, Sakura. We are in the past."

"Past?" She gasped. "What—" And then she realized what happened. "The cherry tree! We should go back, Eriol!"

"Please, Sakura." His voice was tainted with plea. "I want to see her. Just this once…"

Just this once— the words rang in her ear like a string of melody, a sweet plea of love. Sakura understood. Clow's memory in Eriol's persona is longing to see his most beloved one. They were hiding in the back of the house, and then they saw two shadow-like figures, sneaking out of the abode, conversing softly in a very ancient accent.

"Please, let me go with you… The Tonkatsus are coming here tomorrow to give me a dowry!" The lady's sweet voice spoke.

"Hush, I would get you out of here… but this is not the right time. Your father might arrive tonight." The worried baritone voice replied.

"Clow… please… I want to stay with you…" The lady pleaded.

"It is the same with me, Mikane…"

Eriol and Sakura peeked slowly from where they were, and by the light of the bright moon, they saw the two lovers, kissing passionately in a tight embrace.

"HOE—!" Sakura shouted out of surprise. Eriol covered her mouth with his hand at once, muffling the unexpected noise she made.

"Quiet, Sakura," Eriol whispered coolly in her ear. "They might hear us."

"I'm sorry…" She spoke mutedly. "I was just surprised at— well—"

"Mikane is asking Clow to take her with him." Eriol said, as they watched the two lovers in an embrace. "But Clow insists that Mikane's father might come home tonight."

"I thought Mikane already fled away from here?" Sakura asked.

"She decided to go home because she had known that her mother had been sick because of her loss."

"How long has she been away?"

"Eight months."

"Together with—?"

"Yes."

"HOOE—!"

"Sshh." Eriol muffled her surprised expression again with his hand. "Please, Sakura. Contain your surprise for me," He looked at her closely with a soft smile in his lips. "—please?"

She nodded in submission. "_Gomen…_"

Sakura looked at Mikane with full attention this time. She noticed that she was indeed beautiful, and even in the faint light of the moon, her bright emerald eyes were noticeable, and her face— her long brown hair—

_She… she looks…_

"Like me…" She whispered unknowingly to herself.

Even the way Mikane moves and speaks, the way she pleads— was very much like herself, Sakura thought. She wondered at such strange coincidence. Was this a play of destiny?

Looking at the young Clow this time, she was even more surprised. The blue-eyed half-British, half-Chinese man was a sight to behold, a handsome face without a doubt— and that face, the tranquility and mystery in his gaze, a strong aura in such a serene face… was undeniably the very persona of—

"Eriol…"

When she looked back at him, she couldn't help but say, "You really look like him, Eriol…"

Eriol turned his gaze to her. "You're saying that as if you don't look like Mikane herself."

"I am wondering why I do…"

"Do you remember the first time we met, Sakura?" Eriol suddenly asked.

"In the classroom, when you only looked at me straight in the eyes, smiling silently as you did?" Sakura beamed just enough for them to hear.

"I see you still do remember that." Eriol laughed mutedly. "I can't help wondering too, the first time I saw the destined Cardcaptor—" He spoke softly, "—why she looks so much like Mikane."

Sakura couldn't help but blush. "There isn't any coincidence in this world, right, Eriol?" She said. "Maybe there's a reason why I look like her. There must be…"

"I will choose not to tell you, Sakura." Eriol said quietly.

Sakura, who was astonished at his words, answered. "Then you do know the answer…"

"Of course." He replied. "I know the answer." He gazed deeply in her eyes. "I know it, Sakura."

"Why don't you tell me?"

Eriol just closed his eyes. _I changed your fate, Sakura. I changed it, to save you from desolation. _

"It will always remain as my greatest secret, Sakura."

And before she could speak, Eriol already took her hand, enveloping themselves with magic as they disappear and return to the future.


End file.
